Tarragona

Tarragona was during Roman times the most important city in the region. It had a much greater economic importance than its neighbour Barcelona up the coast. The city has therefore been left with an extremely rich cultural heritage, but also happens to be located on the stunning coastline of the [http://www.costadaurada.org/en/ Costa Daurada]; golden sandy beaches and flora rich hinterlands. In short, Tarragona is the perfect place to stop off and spend a few days on a tour up or down the east coast of Spain.

Attractions

Tarragona was aptly nicknamed by the Romans “The Mediterranean Balcony” owing to its position on a high cliff top that stands above the Mediterranean Sea with views stretching off in both directions. Start your exploration of this wonderful and varied city from this breathtaking viewing point, located at the top of Rambla Nova. From the “Mediterranean Balcony”, taking a stroll down the wide promenade of the Rambla Nova is a must; hours can be whiled away here on a café terrace, watching the world go by. Turning off the Rambla on the right you find yourself in the windy streets and beautiful modernist buildings of the historic “High district”. Once in this part of the old town, one naturally finds themselves drawn to the stunningly well preserved and ample town square. Flanked by high, attractively maintained traditional flats, the square is the ideal place to start off an evening or settle down for some midday tapas.

Coming to Tarragona, one cannot avoid stumbling upon the numerous relics to its prestigious Roman history. For starters, the Amphitheatre is set in a stunning location overlooking the sea. In its day, it held up to 14,000 spectators who would be entertained by gladiators and executions alike. Located just out to the north of the city is the magnificent Roman aqueduct, which spans a valley of about a mile. Equally interesting is the Roman monument, commonly known as the "Tower of the Scipios", where supposedly many of the noble were buried. These spectacular sites are well worth the short trip out of the city centre.

For an alternative to all the hunting of historical sites, the excellent [http://www.fundacio1.lacaixa.es/webflc/wpr0pres.nsf/wurl/expfotp_esp/ “Obra social” by “Fundació La Caixa”] merits a visit. A permanent exhibition promoted by La Caixa bank that regularly hosts engaging and alternative expositions of photography, art and music. Fundació La Caixa can be found in the city centre on Rambla Nova. Also well worth a look is the [http://www.altanet.org/MAMT/welcome.htm Museum of Modern Art] that is situated in the centre next to Plaza del Rei.

If visiting the area with younger children there is the [http://www.portaventura.es/ Port Aventura theme park], one of the largest in Europe and the perfect place to pass a whole day with the kids entertained.

Tarragona is home to one of the most important Spanish traditional festivals; [http://santatecla.tarragona.cat/ Santa Tecla Festival], taking place each year between 15th and 24th September. It has been celebrated since 1321 and includes human towers, historical parades and some spectacular firework displays.

Shopping

A perfect place to start a shopping tour of the city is the Rambla Nova which extends upwards from the Plaza Imperial Tàrraco to the famous “Mediterranean balcony”. The Rambla Nova is at the heart of the main commercial district and includes major national chain stores as well as independent boutiques, bookstores and traditional stores.

In the “High district”, either side off the Rambla there is a huge variety in terms of shopping opportunities. The main city market is located in this district, close to the Rambla and must not be missed for a browse of the finest local produce. Like all towns in Spain, there are regular outdoor markets, a good example of which is the Bonavista Sunday Market, where all manner of clothes, food, accessories, people and aromas can be discovered.

Nightlife and Eating Out

Tarragona has always had a thriving fishing industry and this is reflected in the excellent seafood cuisine on offer. In the port area itself there are several excellent seafood eateries; Bahia´s and Cal Joan on Port Esportiu both serve up simple but perfectly cooked fish dishes and tapas.

In the centre, there are some top eateries of various ilks. Any one of the bars in the main square will serve tapas, merits a stop off and the ambience of the square in early evening is not to be missed. For proper traditional Catalan cuisine, including the famous “Blue fish of Tarragona”, a good place is Restaurant Bitàcora. Most excellent pizza and Italian cuisine is produced at Restaurant La Pizzeria, located just off the main square.

Tarragona has a modest but lively night scene. Beginning in the main square with a few cañas and possibly a cocktail, a great place to take your night further is the widely renowned [http://www.elcau.net/ Sala El Cau]. The cavernous bar cum club has a weekly agenda of live music and DJ´s playing to the early hours. But it is the edgy, verging on riotous atmosphere that is the pull factor of the venue. There are also numerous bars in the port area that keep the party going until around 5am.

Tourist Information

Calle Fortuny, 4 Tarragona43001

• Tel. +34 977233415
• Fax +34 977244702

Airports

The nearest airport to Tarragona is [http://www.barcelona-airport.com/ Barcelona “El Prat” Airport] and can be reached from almost any destination. The airport has excellent road links southwards towards Tarragona and coastal destinations.

Further to the south is Valencia airport, smaller than Barcelona, but still serving a good range of international and national destinations.

Alternately, the nearest airport to Tarragona is Reus-Salou Airport that has expanded in recent years due to the arrival of Ryanair operations to the region and serves airports such as London Stansted. The location of the airport gives superb access to the city.